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Cultural Night Exposes Young Talent As V.B.C.C. Celebrates 53rd Year

VIDA in action
VIDA in action
VIDA in action

YOUTHFUL talent came under the spotlight last Wednesday evening at the Vide Bouteille Cultural Club (VBCC) in La Clery.

The activity was held as the club prepares to observe its 53rd anniversary today.

The Visual Impact Dance Academy (VIDA) stole the show as they performed a captivating repertoire of dance moves set to jazz and carnival stylings that showcased society as they see it. The dance group, made up of just over a dozen girls, had all the right moves, proving that talent abounds if only it is explored.

To cap off the evening, the large audience, made up mostly of La Clery residents, also got a chance to see a group of young boys from the area perform a few skits that mirrored the social problems young people face. Through the skits, the youngsters demonstrated the consequences of following advice and crowds – the good and the bad. They, too, were well-received by the appreciative audience.

Olivia Sampson is VBCC’s Cultural Officer and leader of VIDA. She said her dancers must maintain a 75% average in academic performance at school to remain members of her group. She believes that artistic talent must accompany academic talent.

“We’re trying our best to keep the young people occupied with something positive so as to make them more vibrant,” Sampson told The VOICE.

She said plans are in place to make the club as buoyant as it once was in past years, and also made a strong appeal for youngsters to become members of the VBCC. Registration costs just $10 and subscription fees are $5 per month.

This year’s VBCC Sports Night was held on August 8 and a number of other activities are planned for this month and next month. Last Sunday, a church service and reception and awards ceremony was held followed by a breakfast.

For over five decades, the Vide Bouteille Cultural Club has been a pillar in the La Clery community and is one of the oldest and most successful voluntary community organizations in Saint Lucia.

The club’s principal objective is to assist its members and people of the wider community in becoming better citizens through a balanced programme of activities. This is achieved by encouraging the development of character, thrift, cooperation, goodwill and understanding through strict adherence of the rules set forth in the club’s constitution and an austere parliamentary procedure.

The club undertakes a series of activities such as mini-basketball, community seminars and other sporting, cultural and community-based activities. Over the past year, the VBCC has hosted the following activities:

• Ongoing Mini-Basketball and Senior Basketball
• Dance classes for young girls from the community
• Book Report competition at the Vide Bouteille Primary School
• Breast Cancer Awareness Panel Discussion (done with Saint Lucia Nurses Association)
• Netball Midnight Madness competition (endorsed by National Netball Association)
• Melé Creole
• Regular Games Nights
• Annual 3-on-3 Basketball competition (endorsed by National Basketball Federation)
• Christmas Party for underprivileged kids in the community

As the VBCC celebrates its 53rd anniversary today, club members will be hosting an open night where members of the public are welcome to visit the club and learn about its rich history, enquire about its upcoming activities and get to know its members.

For more information at the Vide Bouteille Cultural club, you can call 451-6735 or send an email to [email protected].

Stan Bishop began his career in journalism in March 2008 writing freelance for The VOICE newspaper for six weeks before being hired as a part-time journalist there when one of the company’s journalists was overseas on assignment.

Although he was initially told that the job would last only two weeks, he was able to demonstrate such high quality work that the company offered him a permanent job before that fortnight was over. Read full bio...

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